8919 Eagles Nest Lake
Jerry Yarnell – Inspiration of Painting PBS Television Series

A peaceful mountain lake stretches across the scene, surrounded by rolling hills, distant rugged peaks, and soft, shifting clouds reflected in the water below. In this beginner level acrylic painting lesson, Jerry guides you step-by-step through creating this serene landscape in a 104 minute session on an 18x24 canvas, capturing the quiet beauty and openness of a high country lake setting.

You’ll learn how to build depth using layered mountains and receding landforms, placing foreground grasses and shoreline elements to naturally lead the viewer into the composition. Jerry demonstrates how to block in major shapes first, then refine them with soft blending to maintain a cohesive and balanced scene.

Special focus is given to painting water and reflections, using horizontal strokes and controlled value shifts to create the illusion of movement and light across the lake’s surface. You’ll also explore how to handle atmospheric perspective in distant mountains and clouds, allowing them to fade gently into the background.

By the end of this lesson, you’ll gain confidence in painting expansive landscapes, managing light and atmosphere, and creating depth through layering and perspective. This is an ideal project for beginners looking to develop strong foundational skills while producing a calm and visually immersive natural scene.